H.S student curious about PT

[Salkha]

I'm currently a junior and became really interest in the Physical therapy field. What Physical Therapists do is amazing and I hope to be one in the near future. I know that I will need a BS in a field and a Doctoral Degree as well.

I just have a few questions that could halt this decision, like I said I am interested in this field. Here's few of my problems and questions:

My GPA is decent it's a 4.3 on a 5 point. Would this all affect how undergrads will deteremine my acceptence?

Senior year I will be taking AP Bio and AP Calc. Do physical therapy majors like to see AP Stats or AP Calc? Which would be more usefull?

My high school history I know will only matter to my undergraduate school which I intend on majoring in Exercise Science. Do Physical Therapy schools rather have their students do Pre-Physical therapy since that has all the requirements or will the discriminate against those who have an Exercise Science BS? (I will probably have to take classes at a junior college to meet the requirements of a PT school) Also do they offer scholarships in PT schools ($30,000 a year ) or are you on your own

In PT school's is that when you specialize in a deeper field? (Sports injuries, basic PT, ect)

And lastly, how is the career going to look like within coming years? I know Physical Therapy is one of those medical fields that you do not need to go to med school for and the pay is good. Just wondering if there is any professionals in this field or students still working their ways towards their degree can help! Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[PTMattI]

Dont worry about your HS grades so much...just focus on getting into any college, accumulate as little debt as possible and do as well as you can in your PT school pre reqs. Major does not really matter, just take all the pre reqs for PT school...you can major in History if you want...


No such thing as a physical therapy major..a lot of PT students majored in exercise science or kinesiology but it really doesnt matter..just take the pre reqs and do well in them.

In PT school you generally do not specialize a whole lot because you have to be competent in just about every field as an entry level PT. Most specialize once they finish PT school.

I am currently a first year in PT school myself...not sure how the field is going to look like in 5-8 years...most dont really know how the field will change after the Affordable Care Act will go into full effect..maybe others can chime in on this.

 

[Salkha]

No such thing as a physical therapy major..a lot of PT students majored in exercise science or kinesiology but it really doesnt matter..just take the pre reqs and do well in them.

What major did you do?

In PT school you generally do not specialize a whole lot because you have to be competent in just about every field as an entry level PT. Most specialize once they finish PT school.

So in order to specialize in a certain field, what post education after PT school (correct me I am wrong is a doctoral degree and is 3 years, I will be able to become a PT after PT school and licensing) do I need to do? A PhD?

Thanks for your help!

 

[PrePT2011]

Yes, after 3 years of PT school you receive a DPT. The DPT is a clinical degree that allows for you to take the NPTE to become a licensed PT. A PhD is a research based doctorate and would only be necessary if you intend on teaching at a PT school after practicing for a number of years. I will be a first year DPT student in the fall and I majored in Exercise science. If I had it all to do over again, then I would have majored in athletic training. A BS in athletic training gives you better job prospects if it takes a couple years to get into a DPT program. Plus you get the hands on experience of evaluating on the field injuries and rehabing athletes.

 

[Salkha]

When you were majoring in Exercise Science, did it meet the requirements for PT school? Or did you have to take extra classes in order to meet the goal. I know it may vary with different universities.

 

[PTMattI]

What major did you do?



So in order to specialize in a certain field, what post education after PT school (correct me I am wrong is a doctoral degree and is 3 years, I will be able to become a PT after PT school and licensing) do I need to do? A PhD?

Thanks for your help!

Some people choose to do residencies after PT school such as OCS (orthopedic certified specialist.) There are residencies for just about every field including pediatrics, neurology, geriatrics, etc... they make you more marketable and help you stand out a bit.

I majored in exercise science and worked as a personal trainer for a few years before entering PT school.

 

[PrePT2011]

Some classes met PT school requirements. I took the other prerequisite classes during the summer. It will likely vary based on the university.

 

[goyo1010]

Check these articles out on SDN:

The Physical Therapy Admissions Process – Part 1:
http://studentdoctor.net/2011/10/the-physical-therapy-admissions-process-part-1/

The Physical Therapy Admissions Process – Part 2:
http://studentdoctor.net/2011/11/the-physical-therapy-admissions-process-part-2/

Your high school grades won't affect your entrance into PT school. However, get those good grades to get into a good school for the sake of receiving a good education.

You can major in anything you want--be it art history, biology, music performance, kinesiology, etc. You just need to make sure you fulfill the prerequisite courses per the schools to which you will be applying. Taking science-based courses, however, will give you an advantage, as it will cover some of those prerequisite courses, so you will not have to add on more hours than necessary to whichever degree plan (major) you choose to pursue. There is no "Physical Therapy Major" or "Pre-Physical Therapy Major", just as there is no "Pre-Medicine/Medicine Major". Some kinesiology and exercise science degree plans may be labeled as "pre-physical therapy track" or something along those lines to inform the student that the degree plan curriculum has been tailored to fit the needs of those looking to pursue physical therapy school. It may or may not cover all prerequisites expressed by the various PT schools.

After undergrad and getting accepted, you go to PT school, where you'll be trained to be a generalist PT when you graduate with your Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, which is an entry-level CLINICAL doctorate, not a research doctorate, e.g. PhD or DSc. Take your board and jurisprudence exam. Get a job. Then you can choose to enter a residency program that will prepare you to take a specialty exam to get your specialization in ortho, neuro, manual therapy, geriatrics, etc. This lasts usually 1-3 years, depending on the residency program.

Hope that helps.